Pool cover securing means



p 1960 1.. M. BARTOLUCCI 2,952,024

POOL COVER SECURING MEANS Filed Sept. 12, 1958 FIG? INVENTOR. LEO M. BARTO LUCC I ATT'YS United States Patent POOL COVER SECURING MEANS Leo M. Bartolucci, Albuquerque, N. Mex., assignor to Bart Enterprises, Inc, a corporation of New Mexico Filed Sept. 12, 1958, Ser. No. 760,760

6 Claims. (Cl. 4-172) This invention relates to fastening means and in particular to means for fastening a cover across an opening. It is desirable, at times, to cover swimming pools and the like to preclude unauthorized access thereto, inadvertent falling into the pool of small children, etc., or the entry into the pool of undesirable material such as dirt, leaves, etc. The instant invention is concerned with a new and improved means for securing the edge of a suitable cover across the open top of the pool.

The principal feature of the invention is the provision of a new and improved cover fastening means. Another feature is the provision of a cover fastening means which is fully recessed when not in use.

Still another feature of the invention is the provision of a new and improved fastening means arranged to secure the cover across the opening so as to preclude access by other than authorized persons.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a cover fastening means having a new and improved simple and economical construction.

A still further feature of the invention is the provision of a cover fastening means providing improved facility in securing the cover.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pool having a cover secured across the open top thereof by a securing means embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a portion of the cover and the connecting element of the securing means as arranged during a first stage of a securing operation;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to that of Fig. 2 but showing a portion of an associated retaining element extended through the connecting element as during a second stage of a connecting operation;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view similar to that of Fig. 3 but with the elements arranged as during a third stage of the connecting operation;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view thereof shown in association with a portion of the securing means permanently installed in the top of the pool edge Wall as during a fourth and final stage of a connecting operation;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section thereof taken approximately along the line 6--6 of Fig. 5

Fig. 7 is a perspective view with a portion broken away of a modified form of a securing means embodying the invention; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a pool having a cover secured across the open top thereof by the modified form of securing means.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, as disclosed in Figs. 1 through 6 of the drawing, a cover 10 is secured across the open top of a recess, such as a pool 11, by securing means generally designated 12. The securing means includes a tubular member 13 permanently installed in the edge wall or bounding portion 14 defining the open top of the pool, the open upper end 15 of the tubular member 13 terminating substantially flush with the upper surface 16 of pool bounding portion 14. Extending transversely through tubular member 13 intermediate upper end 15 and the opposite lower end 17 thereof is a pin 18. A plurality of such tubular members having pins 18 associated therewith is provided, being installed at spaced intervals along the pool bounding portion 14.

Cover 10 is arranged to extend fully across pool 11. The edge 18 of the cover overlies pool wall 14 and is provided with perimetrically spaced openings 19 arranged to register with the open ends 15 of the tubular members 13 installed in pool wall 14. Suitable grommets 20 may be provided to reinforce the openings 19 as desired.

Securing means 12 further includes connectors 21 associated one each with the tubular members 13. Each connector 21 is defined by a pair of laterally spaced, oppositely facing and overlapping hooks 22 and 23 forming an eifectively continuous U-configuration in a direction perpendicular to the spacing thereof, as best seen in Fig. 2. The hooks are connected by an inverted U-shaped portion 24 of the connector extending generally parallel to the U-configuration defined by the hooks.

In utilizing connectors 21 to secure the cover 10 across pool 11, a cable 25 or the like is threaded through the connectors to be disposed in the U-shaped upper portion 24 thereof. The connectors are then inserted hook end first through the respective openings 19 to project from the underside of the cover edge. The cover is then extended across the pool and the hook end of each connector inserted in a corresponding tubular member 13. This may be effected with the connector and cable arranged as shown in Fig. 3.

To lock each connector 21 in association with the tubular members 13, the connector is rotated approximately degrees, as seen in Fig. 4, to extend the books 22 and 23 thereof generally parallel to pin 18. The spacing between hooks 22 and 23 is preferably comparable to the diameter of pin 18 whereby the connector may be further moved through upper end 15 of the tubular member until the hooks 22 and 23 pass the opposite sides of the pin to be disposed below the pin. As seen in Fig. 4, this arrangement of the connector distorts cable 25 somewhat from its normal straight extension. When the hooks 22 and 23 have passed to below the pin 18, the connector is released and the normal tension of the cable 25 causes the connector to turn about the vertical "axis to the position of Fig. 5 wherein the hooks are extended under the pin and transversely thereto, thereby locking the connector in the tubular member. The length of connector 21 is sufiicient to permit the upper portion 24 thereof to extend sufiiciently upwardly from grommet 20 to retain cable 25 snugly thereagainst. Any upward or lateral force exerted on the connector by the cable or cover merely elfects a more positive engagement of the hooks 22 and 23 with the underside of pin 18.

As cable 25 bridges the opening 19, the cover edge 10a is positively retained between the cable and the upper surface 16 of the pool bounding portion 14. A single continuous cable 25 may be utilized, as shown, although it should be understood that the invention comprehends any suitable retaining means which will extend through the U-shaped portion 24 of the connector to bridge the openings 19 and is not necessarily limited to a continuous cable arrangement.

To effect a removal of cover 10 from pool 11, it is merely necessary to urge outer end 24 of connector .21 downwardly until hooks 22 and 23 thereof are disposed below pin 18. The connector is then rotated approximately 90 degrees to permit the hooks to move upwardly past the opposite sides of pin 18, and allow the connector to be withdrawn from the tubular member 13. Thus, the cover may be readily installed and removed through use of securing means 12 while yet it is firmly retained in place across the pool by the securing means as desired. When the cover is thus removed, the flush installation of the tubular member 13 permits unobstructed use of the pool as desired.

Turning now to the embodiment of Figs. 7 and 8, a modified securing means generally designated 30 is shown to comprise a tubular member 31 similar to tubular member 13 of securing means 12 and having a pin 32 similar to pin 18 extending thereacross. The connector 33 of securing means 30 difiers from connector 21 in that it is arranged to be permanently associated with pin 32. For this purpose, the connector 33 comprises an elongated member having an elongated loop 34 at its inner end extending around pin 32. Thus, as best seen in Figure 7, the lower end of loop 34 defines an inner shoulder 42 and the upper end of the loop comprises a transverse outer end portion 40 thereof defining an upper shoulder 43. The outer end 35 of the connector comprises a hook having its free end 36 extending toward loop portion 34 a distance at least equal to the length of the elongated loop portion 34. The over-all length of connector 33 is made such as to permit outer end 35 to extend sufliciently from the upper end 37 of the tubular member 31 to permit a cable 38 to be passed therethrough. The outer end 35 defines a transverse outer shoulder 44 which is spaced from inner shoulder 42 a distance substantially greater than the spacing of the pin 32 below the upper end 37 of tubular member 31 to accommodate the cable 33 to between the outer shoul der 44 and tubular member end 37. The length of free end 36 is further made suflicient to assure that the tip 39 thereof will be disposed Within the tubular member 31 at all times thereby precluding removal of cable 38 from association with connector 33 other than by withdrawing the end through the outer end 35. The length of looped inner end 34 is further correlated with the over-all length of the connector so that a transverse outer end portion 40 thereof limits the movement of the con nector downwardly through tubular member 31 to a position wherein outer end 35 lies inwardly adjacent upper end 37 of the tubular member. Thus, when the securing means 30 is not in use, the connector 33 will be fully recessed within the tubular member, eliminating any projection in the pool edge wall while providing ready access for use in securing the cover as desired.

To install cover 10 by means of securing means 39, the cover is extended across the pool with the edge 10a thereof overlying the pool edge wall 14 and with the openings 19 in the cover edge in registry with the tubular members 31. The outer ends 35 of the respective connectors 33 are then pulled upwardly through the upper ends 37 of the tubular members and through the openings 19 of the cover. The end of cable 38 is then threaded through the respective projecting hooked outer ends 35 of the connectors. When the cable has been passed through all of the connectors, its ends may be secured by a suitable lock 41 to preclude access to the pool to all persons other than authorized persons.

When it is desired to remove cover 10, lock 41 is unlocked, permitting the ends of cable 38 to be withdrawn through the connectors 33. The connectors automatically fall back into their recessed position within the tubular members 31 and the cover may be removed as desired.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Means for securing an edge portion of a cover having an opening therethrough to a bounding portion of the open top of a pool, comprising: a tube adapted to be secured to the bounding portion of the pool to open outwardly adjacent the open top of the pool; a pin extending transversely across and spaced from the outer end of the tube; and a connector having an inner end in said tube and provided with a pair of opposed shoulders spaced longitudinally of the tube, said pin being disposed between said shoulders to retain the connector longitudinally movable in the tube, the outermost shoulder being spaced from the outer end of the connector a distance substantially equal to the spacing of the pin from the outer end of the tube, whereby the outer end of the connector is substantially flush with the outer end of the tube when the connector is disposed with said outermost shoulder engaging the pin, said outer end of the connector being provided with an opening defining an outer inwardly facing shoulder spaced from the innermost shoulder a distance greater than the spacing of said pin from the outer end of the tube to re ceive a retaining element removably in the opening outwardly of the outer end of the tube.

2. Means for securing an edge portion of a cover having an opening therethrough to a bounding portion of the open top of a pool, comprising: a member adapted to be secured to the bounding portion of the pool defining a recess opening outwardly adjacent the open top of the pool; a stop extending transversely across and spaced from the outer end of the recess; and a connector having an inner end in said recess and provided with inner and outer opposed spaced shoulders, said inner shoulder being disposed inwardly of the stop and said outer shoulder being disposed outwardly of the stop to retain the inner end of the connector movably in the recess, the outer shoulder being spaced from the outer end of the connector a distance no greater than the spacing of the stop from the outer end of the recess, whereby the outer end of the connector is within the outer end of the tube when the connector is disposed with said shoulder engaging the stop, said outer end of the connector being provided with retaining means spaced from the inner shoulder a distance greater than the spacing of said stop from the outer end of the recess to receive a retaining element bridged across the outer end of the recess.

3. The securing means of claim 2 wherein said inner end of the connector includes a transversely opening hole, the outer end of which defines said outer shoulder and the inner end of which defines said inner shoulder.

4. The securing means of claim 2 wherein said retaining means of the connector outer end comprises a hook having its distal end spaced from the outer end of the recess when the inner shoulder engages the stop.

5. Means for securing an edge portion of a cover having an opening therethrough to a bounding portion of the open top of a pool, comprising: a tube adapted to be secured to the bounding portion of the pool to open outwardly adjacent the open top of the pool; a stop extending transversely across and spaced from the outer end of the tube; and a connector having an inner end in said tube and provided with an inner shoulder inwardly of the stop to retain the connector movably in the tube, said connector further having an outer end provided with an outer inwardly facing shoulder spaced from said inner shoulder a distance greater than the spacing of said stop from the outer end of the tube to receive a retaining element removably between said outer shoulder and the outer end of the tube, the outer shoulder being spaced from the outer end of the connector a distance no greater than the spacing of the stop from the outer end of the tube whereby the outer end of I #44 A V the connector is within the outer end of the tube when the connector is disposed with said outer shoulder engaging the stop.

6. The securing means of claim 5 wherein said inner end of the connector comprises at least one hook re- 5 leasably engageable with an inner portion of the stop.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,873,607 Lefevre Aug. 23, 1932 

